Father of six shares his struggles

By Ulimasao Fata 21 November 2017, 12:00AM

Picture this. You have a budget of $300 for two weeks.

You have six children to feed and put through school. 

And then you also have to worry about your parents.

Difficult? 

Welcome to the world of Samuelu Faialaga of Tanugamalala. 

Mr. Faialaga caught up with the Village Voice yesterday after visiting his parents in Nu’u-fou to drop them some money.

Mr. Faialaga and his wife are looking after another family’s plantation in Tanugamalala.

“My work is the only income earner for our family because both me and my wife are living on a family’s plantation,” he said.

“I earn $310 a fortnight and trust me I only see that amount when they give it to me, the rest will go straight to paying our weekly credit line at the store.”

Mr. Faialaga said that part of his pay goes to supporting his parents in Nu’u Fou and his other three children.

“So after paying what we owe to the shops here from the week, then we will have to buy on credit again. And the cycle continues.”

Mr. Faialaga emphasized that the life he’s living is not an easy one but he is trying his best to support his family.

“Life is not that easy especially with only a small amount of money to cater for certain number of people because everything in Samoa now is all about money.

“I am trying to survive the best way I can to support my family because there’s nothing I can do to make things easier than working to earn money.”

Mr. Faialaga also added that his family’s main struggle is with financial matters.

“Life is harder today because money is everything and that is the main issue our family is trying to cope with at the moment.”

By Ulimasao Fata 21 November 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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